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Cooling off at summer camp
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Above left, a firetruck from Youngstown Fire Station 2 provides a water spray for participants in the summer camp Thursday at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Drive, Youngstown. Among activities this week for the children age 6 to 15 were Bible stories, music and crafts.
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Darrell Jackson, 8, of Youngstown tries the blue raspberry flavoring on a sno-cone from Tim Oswald’s Kona Ice, which provided a cool treat for campers.
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Children participated this week in the summer camp Thursday at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Drive, Youngstown. Among activities this week for the children age 6 to 15 were Bible stories, music and crafts. Here, firefighter Jamie Goodlet talks to the group about fire safety .
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Children in the summer camp at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Ave., Youngstown, line up for sno-cones from Tim Oswald’s Kona Ice. The icy treat provided some relief from the heat of the 85-degree day.
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
Hot fun in the summertime turned out to be a cold spray of water for children attending a summer camp this week at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Drive.
“Water games” was Thursday’s theme, and the children delighted in running in and out of the water spray, courtesy of Lt. John Lightly and firefighters Jamie Goodlet and Jason Simons of Youngstown Fire Station 2.
Some kids took tentative steps into the spray in the church parking lot while others ran headlong into it. Others did cartwheels. The water play was a welcome antidote to the 85-degree temperature and lingering humidity.
Before the fun, though, children got a brief fire-safety lesson from Goodlet of the South Side station. He talked to the children about the importance of calling 911 in the event of a fire and why smoke detectors are important to have.
“A good fire is one to cook with ... like toasting marshmallows,” he said. “A bad fire is one in your house, your car or on you.”
He reiterated the fire-safety drill of “stop, drop and roll.” And, he told the children, in the event of a house fire, never go back inside to get a pet or anything else. Leave that job to the firefighters, he said.
Loisjean Haynes-Paige, youth director, supervised the camp with the theme “SonQuest Rain Forest.” About 40 participants ranging from age 6 to 15 attended sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The participants were from the Clearmount and Hudson neighborhoods and the Youngstown community at large.
Haynes-Paige said a main benefit of the camp is the face-to-face socializing it offers. “The kids are so caught up in social networking with technology,” she said. “This is an opportunity for them to learn about Jesus and socialize in person.”
Haynes-Paige, a Youngstown school district teacher who is the business-technology prep instructor with Youngstown State University, said the week included a visit by a horse, Studda, and his owner. “The kids got a chance to get an up-close look,” she said.
An outing to Boardman Park included a picnic and hiking the trails.
Haynes-Paige said the activities centered on the rain forest theme. “We talked about how we deal with nature and animals and how God nurtures all,” she said.
“We hope the children take what they learned and apply it to their family, their lives and community,” Haynes-Paige said. “We want them to learn the love of Jesus and how to treat their fellow men with respect and love.”
Feedback from parents included appreciation for a well-organized approach with plenty of activities and certified teachers. Haynes-Paige said there is a teacher, education- assistant and volunteer for every 10 children. Selina Cotton was music teacher, and Darlene McKelley taught crafts. Mardell Ritter of the church prepared nutritious breakfasts, lunch and snacks.
Ryan McKinney, 13, was among participants and said Bible lessons helped him achieve “inner peace with God.” He said he especially liked the craft classes, where they made a button with Jesus on it out of glass.
Carson Wolf, 6, also enjoyed the Bible lessons and “everything I made.”